Page:The Count of Monte-Cristo (1887 Volume 2).djvu/352

334 The child stuck out his lips and turned away his head in a contemptuous manner, saying:

"He's too ugly!"

The count smiled as if he thought that such a child bade fair to realize one part of his hopes, while Madame de Villefort reprimanded her son with a moderation that would not have pleased Jean-Jacques Rousseau if Edward had been called Emile.

"This lady," said the count, speaking to Ali in the Arabic, language, "is desirous that her son should thank you for saving both their lives; but the boy refuses, saying you are too ugly!"

Ali turned his intelligent countenance toward the boy, on whom he gazed without any apparent emotion; but the sort of spasmodic working of the nostrils showed to the practiced eye of Monte-Cristo how deeply the Arab was wounded.

"Monsieur," said Madame de Villefort, as she rose to take her leave, "do you usually reside here?"

"No, I do not," replied Monte-Cristo; "it is a small place I have purchased quite lately. My place of abode is No. 30, Avenue des Champs Elysees. I see you have quite recovered, and are desirous of returning home. I have desired the same horses you came with to be put to one of my carriages, and Ali, he whom you think so very ugly," continued he, addressing the boy with a smiling air, "will have the honor of driving you home, while your coachman remains here to attend to the necessary repairs of your caleche. Directly that important business is concluded, I will have a couple of my own horses harnessed to convey it direct to Madame Danglars."

"I dare not return with those dreadful horses," said Madame de Villefort.

"You will see," replied Monte-Cristo, "that in the hands of Ali they will be gentle as lambs."

Ali had, indeed, gone up to the animals, that had been got upon their legs with considerable difficulty, and rubbed their foreheads and nostrils with a sponge soaked in aromatic vinegar, and wiped off the sweat and foam that covered their mouths. They at once breathed heavily, and for some seconds shivered in every limb. Then, undisturbed by the noisy crowd collected round the broken carriage, Ali quietly harnessed the pacified animals to the count's chariot, took the reins in his hands, and mounted the box, when lo! to the utter astonishment of those who had witnessed the ungovernable spirit of the same horses, he was actually compelled to apply his whip in no very gentle manner ere he could induce them to start; and even then all that could be obtained from the celebrated "dappled grays," now changed into a couple of dull, sluggish